In a chaotic battlefield where the once lively street lay in ruins, a vast secured compound stood unharmed in the distance. Within the compound were countless warehouses. If John were here, he would feel that the entire compound belonged to the same kind as Pantheon.
At the gate of the compound, the number 12 was etched—signifying that this was the twelfth compound in the city. The gate and walls were spotless and undamaged, but the surroundings told a different story.
The streets and nearby structures were engulfed in flames. Just a minute ago, this place had suffered a devastating explosion that wiped out several blocks, submerging them in fire.
Further from the fire was a demolished street, torn apart by the shockwave generated by the powerful blast. This once-lively area was now a battlefield between two opposing sides: the Adventurers—symbols of order, justice, and hope—and Evilus, who represented chaos, wickedness, and cruelty in Orario.
The battle raged on, cruel and unrelenting. Dead bodies began to pile, and rivers of blood ran through the ground—belonging to both combatants and innocents.
In a certain part of the battlefield—
A red-haired beauty with a heroic visage barked orders left and right while simultaneously cutting down enemies, charging into the fray without hesitation. This red-haired woman was Alise Lovell, captain of the Astrea Familia and a Level 5 adventurer.
She led her Familia heroically, defeating adversaries with her fiery sword and movements akin to a natural disaster.
Until now.
"Bad news," Alise said gravely.
Before her stood a lone figure radiating an aura far stronger than her own.
Gojouno Kaguya, vice-captain of the Astrea Familia, replied in an equally grave tone, "Can we retreat?"
Kaguya, a black-haired beauty in a kimono, exuded an elegant air. She spoke seriously, already understanding the danger they faced.
Lyra, just beside Kaguya, remarked while wearily glancing around, "It's too late. We're surrounded."
Lyra was a pallum with short pink hair—beautiful and fierce.
She gripped several bombs in her hands, ready to light and hurl them at enemies hiding in the rubble.
Behind them stood Ryuu, her back to the group, guarding them against any sneak attacks.
Ryuu, an elf with golden hair, was a beauty often compared to fairies.
The other members of the Familia stood ready for combat, forming a tight circular formation, watching each other's backs.
Lyra squinted at the figure before them, eyes narrowing as she spotted an emblem on their wrist.
"Bad news, Captain. She's Red Rose."
Red Rose was a notorious figure within Evilus. Neither good nor evil—she aided the weak but brutally killed the strong. Known as wicked by many, but kind by a few.
Ruthless yet merciful. Strong, yet seemingly weak. A being of contradiction. Every faction described her as mysterious. Only three features defined her: a red rose tattoo on her wrist, the use of Rose Magic, and beauty akin to a fairy.
"I didn't expect someone could still recognize me in this era," the person said calmly.
"Drop the disguise. We already know who you are," Alise responded, voice cool.
The figure smiled. Her form began to change—her skin peeling away, replaced by thorny vines. Roses bloomed as delicate pale skin emerged beneath, fair as snow.
A beautiful, fair-skinned woman now stood there. She had purple hair tied in a bob, with collarbone-length bangs hanging on either side. Purple eyes, and pale purple lipstick.
She wore a flowing purple gown with what appeared to be a bronze breastplate. Her regal aura demanded the attention of all. A crown rested upon her head.
If an anime fan saw her, they would immediately think of Queen Mirellia Q. Melromarc from The Rising of the Shield Hero.
But she wasn't Mirellia Q. Melromarc—only her look-alike an alternate version. Her real name was Mirellia Meredith.
Lyra stared at her and said, "Mirellia Meredith."
"Purple Rose, the strongest plant magic user in history. Our luck's running out," Lyra added with a wry smile.
"Any last words?" Mirellia asked, smiling gently, like blooming flowers.
"Yeah, just one—did you ever get cut by a flaming sword?"
Alise vanished from her spot and reappeared right in front of Mirellia. She went from 0 to 2,000 kilometers per hour in a breath, exceeding the speed of sound. It was an abnormal feat for an adventurer of her level—but not entirely impossible.
Her sword was already drawn mid-swing, aimed at Mirellia's neck. A scorching heat burst from the blade, spiking the surrounding temperature. Vegetation within hundreds of meters dried up and burned to ash. Stones and buildings nearby started to smoke from the sheer heat of her flames.
As Alise launched her attack, Kaguya and Ryuu followed. Meanwhile, Lyra stepped back to call for backup, while the rest of the Familia handled the enemies surrounding them.
"Let's pray they respond quickly," Lyra murmured, pocketing her phone after sending the distress signal.
Twilight Manor
BOOM!
A powerful explosion ripped through the manor's gate, blowing it apart.
"We're under attack!"
The gate guard, barely surviving the blast, sprinted to a small hut a few meters away and rang a bell in a distinct pattern.
It signaled: Enemy Attack.
The Loki Familia, owners of the Twilight Manor, sprang into action—moving swiftly to counter the threat.
"Damn you, Evilus! I'll cut your heads off!"
"Hehe, try me."
A man from Evilus laughed maniacally and charged into a crowd of adventurers, exploding and dragging several with him to death.
Clang! Clang! Boom! Tad!
Weapons clashed. Bombs exploded. Magic rang out. The manor's grounds had turned into a warzone.
Despite the chaos, Loki Familia held the line. Since the start of the assault, the mansion itself remained untouched.
Then, a pillar of light erupted from the very top of the manor. As it reached its peak, it spread and fell like a veil, forming a dome-shaped barrier—capable of withstanding a city-busting attack.
At the top of the manor, two figures stood.
One was a tall, beautiful elf with jade-colored hair tied in a waist-length ponytail. She had matching green eyes, sharp elf ears, and wore a green outfit with yellow trim, a white cloak, black belt, yellow sash, black leggings, and long brown boots. Her name was Riveria Ljos Alf—Vice Captain of the Loki Familia, also known as Nine Hells.
Beside her stood Alicia Forestlight, a beautiful elf with golden hair and hazel eyes. Her curvaceous body rivaled Tione's, often leading people to question if she was even an elf.
Riveria focused on maintaining the barrier, supporting others with fire and ice arrows. Alicia stood guard, protecting her from harm.
Below, the Loki Familia executives moved swiftly through the battlefield that had once been their peaceful courtyard.
Gareth and Finn led a counteroffensive. Tione, Tiona, Bete, and Ais dove deep into enemy ranks, killing or subduing Evilus' strongest fighters.
Far from the battlefield, in a tall building, a cloaked figure with red tattoos watched the battle with a calm smile.
He raised his hand and signaled to someone hidden in the shadows.
On the ground—
A black carriage pulled by two enormous direwolves suddenly charged out from an alley—rushing straight toward Twilight Manor.